Homemade air compressor

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

Hi, guys.
Right now I,m waiting for it all to come in, but I ordered all the stuff for a homemade air compressor. Its going to be a 20CFM compressor with a gas engine. Every thing is going to be new besides the air tank, I found a non-working 60 gallon air compressor cheap ($200) for the air tank. when everything has come in I will post a picture of it all.

 

[caterpillar guy]

IT seems like it would be cheaper to just have bought a new compressor without all the work and had similar capacity like a Saylor Beal with about 17SCFM for around 5,000.00 yup a lot of money but ready to go when it hits the door not a week or month away.

 

[Mule Meat]

We have all done the, "because I want to" thing a time or two in life.

You stated that you bought everything new.. Does the compressor come with an Unloader Valve that allows it to run continuously with a gas engine? Without an unloader valve it can be very dangerous to run. For you have no way to control the maximum pressure it builds. And you can't rely on a pop off valve to do that.

If you have all of the correct parts. Go for it.

 

[john in la]

We have all done the, "because I want to" thing a time or two in life.

You stated that you bought everything new.. Does the compressor come with an Unloader Valve that allows it to run continuously with a gas engine? Without an unloader valve it can be very dangerous to run. For you have no way to control the maximum pressure it builds. And you can't rely on a pop off valve to do that.

If you have all of the correct parts. Go for it.

And is the unload valve the type that runs the gas motor at idle to conserve fuel and speeds it back up when more pressure is needed.

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

IT seems like it would be cheaper to just have bought a new compressor without all the work and had similar capacity like a Saylor Beal with about 17SCFM for around 5,000.00 yup a lot of money but ready to go when it hits the door not a week or month away.

Actually its going to cost me about $950.00

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

We have all done the, "because I want to" thing a time or two in life.

You stated that you bought everything new.. Does the compressor come with an Unloader Valve that allows it to run continuously with a gas engine? Without an unloader valve it can be very dangerous to run. For you have no way to control the maximum pressure it builds. And you can't rely on a pop off valve to do that.

If you have all of the correct parts. Go for it.

The compressor I got does not have a unloader valve, how I'm going to set it up is I,m going to have a clutch and a throttle control to turn off the compressor (I'll make sure it works before I trust it).

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[Jeremiah's Tractors]

When I get all the stuff in I'll post pictures.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I believe an unloader valve would make more sense than trying to fab/cobble up a clutch that I don't know if it will run long and some kind of throttle control to it. The valve will just let the engine freerun while the compressor spins. No pressure built during that time. IF your deal does not work I suppose you could cobble an unloader valve from a semi compressor to control it the same way.

 

[Phill Tibbetts]

I would definitely put an unloader on it. I have seen what an exploding air tank can do. It's a bomb

 

[Mule Meat]

Running an air compressor without an unloader powered by a gasoline engine using a go kart clutch??

Good luck with that..

 

[Frankmn]

Running an air compressor without an unloader powered by a gasoline engine using a go kart clutch??

Good luck with that..

May be a good idea to make sure your insurance, will etc are up to date and have 911 on standby when you fire it up...

Years ago we had a gas compressor with a clutch. Had a kohler engine and a jacuzzi brothers pump. It worked pretty well. It did have a control that made the engine idle at the preset pressure.

 

[Pete in Holland MI]

Gonna be fun pull starting an engine that high in the air, let alone pouring gas in the tank. Just make sure it is secured well to the floor when starting. You might pull the top heavy unit over on you.

 

[1948CaseVAI]

Actually its going to cost me about $950.00

Hold my beer and watch this....

 

[Mule Meat]

You can buy unloader valves about as cheap as you can go kart clutches. The valves come with a port just for the throttle control to screw into. Also throttle control valves can be gotten with many different lengths of cable to reach the engine.

 

[buickanddeere]

The compressor I got does not have a unloader valve, how I'm going to set it up is I,m going to have a clutch and a throttle control to turn off the compressor (I'll make sure it works before I trust it).

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Who operates the clutch ?

 

[joeysmith]

I believe an unloader valve would make more sense than trying to fab/cobble up a clutch that I don't know if it will run long and some kind of throttle control to it. The valve will just let the engine freerun while the compressor spins. No pressure built during that time. IF your deal does not work I suppose you could cobble an unloader valve from a semi compressor to control it the same way.

Usually those just open a couple valves inside the compressor itself
Doubt his compressor has that kind of setup

 

[Dusty MI]

I once had an old refrigerator one cylinder compressor that I used for an air compressor with a portable tank with snap coupler hose and tire chuck, made to carry to wherever needed.
Dusty

 

[Fritz Maurer]

I like that centrifugal clutch idea.... I set up a 23 cfm pump with a centrifugal unloader , using electric PTO clutch off a lawnmower. While it worked well,
I have always wished for an idling feature . Your idea is much better.

As long as the pump unloads at rest, and you have a check valve at the tank inlet. I have seen the cheap little wheeled compressors unload through the pressure switch, that it exactly what you DON'T want.

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

Like I said I will make sure it works before I trust it.

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

I like that centrifugal clutch idea.... I set up a 23 cfm pump with a centrifugal unloader , using electric PTO clutch off a lawnmower. While it worked well,
I have always wished for an idling feature . Your idea is much better.

As long as the pump unloads at rest, and you have a check valve at the tank inlet. I have seen the cheap little wheeled compressors unload through the pressure switch, that it exactly what you DON'T want.

I did think of using a electric clutch.